34 years in production limbo, Top Gun: Maverick will arrive in cinemas in 2021 and finally give viewers another look into the mile-a-minute life of Tom Cruise’s iconic test pilot Maverick.
But to do justice to Tony Scott's 1986 original, Top Gun: Maverick needs to lean into the character’s tragic elements instead of making him out to be a happy-go-lucky hero. Maverick is faced with death and the realistically dark consequences of his risky work throughout the original cult classic Top Gun, and any effective sequel needs to address the cost that this difficult life would have on him over the decades between installments.
The original Top Gun was willing to delve into the darker side of Maverick’s obsession with speed and being the best, with his competitive streak directly contributing to his intense grief over the death of his colleague Goose (even if Maverick wasn't the only one to blame for the tragic accident). In the long-awaited sequel, Maverick shouldn't be painted as a hero, but rather as a tragic morality tale for viewers to avoid. The character lost his father and became obsessed with being an ace just like him. Top Gun: Maverick shows that decades later he's still consumed by this obsessive drive, with his career costing him everything else.
By the time Top Gun: Maverick begins Tom Cruise’s hero remains in his life-risking role as a test pilot despite decades of service, he’s still chasing the next high-speed thrill long after most pilots would have transitioned into a more stable position, and he's broken up with Top Gun love interest Charlie. It’s not an enviable life to live, and not one that Top Gun: Maverick needs to romanticize. After all, Maverick’s existence is pockmarked by tragedies directly attributed to the work he does — whether it’s his father’s death in action or Goose’s death in the first film. It’s already clear that Top Gun: Maverick won’t be as fun as the first film, with the latest trailer featuring footage from an unknown character’s funeral. With this darker tone, Top Gun: Maverick can effectively lean into the tragedy of its title character, a man whose obsessive drive to be the best has cost him any chance at a normal life and any hope of a healthy relationship.
It’s not too late for Maverick to slow down and take on a less risky role, but it goes against everything viewers know about the character. As the original film’s best song hinted, Top Gun’s hero is a tragic figure who can’t give up his addiction to the rush of risking everything and the sequel is a perfect opportunity to illustrate the human cost of this volatile drive. There's also a touch of real-life pathos to this approach as, much like Mickey Rourke’s turn as the title character of Darren Aronofksy’s poignant The Wrestler allowed the aging actor to reflect on his troubled public life, Top Gun: Maverick star Tom Cruise could use the return of Maverick to address the real-life impact that decades of life-endangering stunts have had on his turbulent personal life. It’s a great opportunity for the Top Gun franchise to deepen the character and do justice to the original film by addressing the realistic consequences of Mavericks’ insatiable adrenaline addiction.
